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Americans abroad analysis

Pulisic wins another trophy, Pefok & Aaronson remains hot, Yanks star in Scotland

Monday essentially concluded the weekend and ASN's Brian Sciaretta breaks down everything he saw with his thoughts and analysis- including Pefok and Ramirez continuing to score, Pulisic adding to his trophy collection,  Aaronson heading to another title, and much more. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
February 14, 2022
2:05 PM

THE WEEKEND FOR AMERICANS ABROAD was probably the best so far in 2022 even if it still lacked many top performances from the best American players. Still, Christian Pulisic continued to break ground for American players and other players who were on the margins of the U.S. player pool have continued to raise their games.

In future weekends you want to see more from players like Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Chris Richards, Yunus Musah, Gianluca Busio, Josh Sargent, Sergino Dest, and others but that should come. Some of these players either missed out on this weekend, played only limited minutes, or struggled during their time. But they should all eventually be okay.

For now, it’s a numbers game. More and more players are on the precipice of breaking through. Even for players who are outside the top leagues, it increases America’s global footprint on the game. Combined with an ever-improving MLS – it’s all healthy and a positive sign that the overall American player is better. It’s not simply a matter of having a few “stars” like Pulisic and the same status quo is behind them. Instead, you have a rising tide that is making the stars and the overall American player better.

This weekend continued to show that.

 

Pulisic wins Club World Cup

 

Christian Pulisic has broken a lot of ground for American players at the club level. That was at a high level last year when he became the first American to win a UEFA Champions League final which he played in.

On Saturday, Pulisic became the first American to play in and win the FIFA Club World Cup when Chelsea defeated Palmeiras 2-1 after extra time. Pulisic did not start this game but was subbed in following a 32nd minute Mason Mount when the game was still scoreless.

Pulisic was not part of either of the Chelsea goals but he was active over his 89 minutes on the field. He was frequently looking to take players on with his dribbling – to varying degrees of success. He was dispossessed three times, and sometimes that killed Chelsea attacks. But he was dangerous and combined well with Lukaku shortly after coming on for a dangerous chance.

Pulisic’s time with Chelsea hasn’t always been smooth but he’s been part of some special moments and has had to fight for minutes in one of the toughest environments to do so.

This was yet another reward along a difficult path he has chosen.

 

Pefok remains hot in Switzerland

 

Jordan Pefok is hitting his stride in a big way right now. On Sunday, the Washington, D.C-born forward scored another goal (to go along with an assist) in a 3-1 win over Basel. He now has seven goals over his last four games in the Swiss Super League. He now has 14 goals in the league to go along with five in the Champions League (including qualifiers) for 19 in all competitions. He is tied for the league with Arthur Cabral of Basel for the league lead in goals. 

It’s been a great season for Pefok, 25, despite that Young Boys will likely see their four-season reign as the Swiss Champions end as they trail Zurich by 10 points.

 

For Pefok, the attention will now be what is next for him at the club and the international level.

For the club level, Pefok ready for a move back to a top league. He didn’t succeed in Ligue 1 but perhaps he is ready for another shot. He’s maxed out in Swiss Super League. He won a title. He’s played in the Champions League through it. He’s in contention to win a scoring title. Now he’s approaching 26 and has a few more seasons  left in his prime.

On the international level, he has been off the last few U.S. rosters but is building a strong case to return. It is entirely possible he won’t be as effective for the U.S. national team as he is with Young Boys. The U.S. team doesn’t get the ball deep inside the opposing penalty box as Young Boys do. The U.S. team has struggled for most of the past year with set piece delivery, and Pefok thrives on that. He needs service. He also is not great at hold up play.

But soccer is situational and situations during the course of games changes. If the U.S. team is chasing a game, different types of opportunities arise. Pefok could finish the season pushing 25 goals. There are plenty of times or situations a team could use a forward ready to pounce on a loose ball.

 

 

Aaronson leads Salzburg to win

 

On Friday, Austrian Bundesliga-leading Salzburg defeated Rapid Vienna 2-1 when it trailed 1-0 at the half. The equalizing goal came in the 64th minute via Brenden Aaronson who hit a perfect low shot with his first touch to the near post.

Aaronson, 21, is getting ready for his first game in the Champions League knockouts when Salzburg meet Bayern Munich.

 

He almost surely won’t return to Salzburg next year, but it’s been a perfect landing spot for him in Europe. After winning the Supporters Shield with Philadelphia, Aaronson has gone on to win the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup. This year, he will win another Austrian Bundesliga, and possibly another cup. He will advance from his first Champions League group stages and taste the knockouts.

Winning is part of development and Aaronson is turning into quite a player while also a winner.

 

Americans shine in Scottish Cup

 

The level in Scotland might not be all that high compared with the rest of Europe, but many Americans are making strong impacts in both the Premiership and the Scottish Cup, which was in-session this weekend for its Round of 16 games.

This weekend in the Scottish Cup, three Americans got on the board with goals while two American defenders helped Old Firm teams advance.

Ian Harkes got the start for Dundee United against Partick Thistle and scored the only goal in a 1-0 win on a brutal field. Harkes continues to have a nice season for Dundee United and could force his way into the transfer window this summer. His strike was outstanding.

 

Christian Ramirez scored again for Aberdeen and the Californian is having a great season. His goal put Aberdeen up 1-0 on Motherwell minutes after Motherwell thought it took a 1-0 lead via American forward Joe Efford only to have his goal called back for offside.

Ramirez then made no mistake with his finish when he headed home a cross. Minutes later, he nearly scored again via an impressive chip that went just wide.

Unfortunately for Ramirez, Motherwell rallied for a 2-1 win. Following the game, Aberdeen fired head coach Stephen Glass and his assistants. Ramirez went to twitter with his unpleasant reaction of the firing.

 

It is disappointing for Ramirez who will surely be in the plans for anyone who takes over. With the goal on Saturday he now has 10 goals in the Premiership, 3 in Conference League, and 2 in the Scottish Cup for 15 in all competitions.

Chris Muller started for Hibernian on Sunday and scored his first goal for the club when his 87th minute goal capped a 3-1 win over lower-tier Abroath. It wasn’t a big goal or a goal against a quality opponent but this will give Mueller some confidence moving forward in Scotland. The first one is always the hardest.

 

Scott Pittman earned the start in the midfield for Livingston against Hearts and played 119 minutes. He was subbed out just before the end of extra time with the game scorless. Minutes later it went to penalties and Hearts advanced. Sebastian Soto was still not in the lineup for Hearts. 

James Sands started in central defense for Rangers in a comfortable 3-0 win over Annan Athletic on Saturday. Sands made his first few appearances for Rangers in defensive midfield but this was his debut in central defense. He did well, although Rangers was not tested defensively. Sands shifted to central defense later in the game. A win will only help his case for more playing time, but with Rangers' recent acquisitions in January, playing time might not be regular for Sands.

Cameron Carter-Vickers handled everything that came his way over 74 minutes for Celtic in a dominant 4-0 win over Raith Rovers. Carter-Vickers, 24, has been terrific this season for Celtic and is still alive for a double as his team is atop the Premiership and alive in the quarters of the Scottish Cup.

 

Brooks tops Americans in Germany

 

Among the many Americans in Germany, no one had a better weekend than John Brooks who both won and played well. That wasn’t the case elsewhere throughout the first two tiers of the Bundesliga.

John Brooks started and played all 90 for Wolfsburg in a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt (Timothy Chandler went as an unused substitute for Eintracht). His passing wasn’t great on the day, but his defense was top-notch in just about every single area – clearances, duels, tackles, and recoveries.

 

Wolfsburg is slowly getting their act together and is moving away from the relegation zone. This win moved them five points clear. Brooks is also seeing an increase in his form which should put him back in the mix for the national team.  He had been seen as a controversial omission among fans, but Brooks was not playing well for most of the first half of the season (October through January). He is playing well now.

Also, the more Brooks and Wolfsburg move away from the relegation zone, the more comfort the team should have to play Kevin Paredes who went as an unused sub for Wolfsburg for the second straight week. His Bundesliga debut awaits – but is probably getting closer.

Borussia Monchengladbach defeated Augsburg 3-2 on Saturday and it was a reunion of two players on the 2019 U.S. U-17 World Cup team as Joe Scally was on the bench for M’Gladbach and Ricardo Pepi was on the bench for Augsburg. Pepi came into the game in the 63rd minute with Augsburg trailing 2-1. Gladbach scored a minute later to make it 3-1. Scally came into the game in the 90th minute and with one of the last kicks of the game, Augsburg pulled one back but eventually lost 3-2.

It was the same story for Pepi who looked lively and made some nice runs, but wasn’t particularly dangerous. He will continue to play but starting might be a tough ask as the team has scored five goals from its last two games – and Pepi was not part of any of them. Combined with his slump dating back to FC Dallas, it is a tough spot for a player in a relegation battle. Ne desperately needs a goal just for the confidence.

Also in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim defeated Arminia Bielefeld 2-0 with George Bello playing the final  28 minutes in the loss (both goals were scored before he came on). Bello had some positives in his outing. He created a dangerous chance right after coming into the game with a solid cross. Overall he was 17/18 in his passing. Tactically, he is still adjusting and he is going to have to be sharper with his decision making. But he has the tools to get it done but he is going to need to continue to learn in a relegation zone.

Pepi & Augsburg are in the relegation playoff position and are trailing Bello & Arminia Bielefeld on just goal differential.

In the rest of the Bundesliga action, there was little to nothing to note for Americans abroad. Tyler Adams returned from his hamstring injury but was an unused substitute for Leipzig in a 3-1 win over Koln. Gio Reyna did not dress for Borussia Dortmund in a 3-0 win over Union Berlin as he is reportedly ill. Chris Richards is still injured for Hoffenheim and did not play in the win over Bello & Co. Julian Green played the final seven minutes for last-place Greuther Furth in a surprise 2-1 win over Hertha BSC.

In the 2.Bundesliga, Ryan Malone started in central defense for Hansa Rostock in a 2-1 loss to Werder Bremen. Malone, a former defender for Springfield College of Division III, had an assist on Rostock’s late goal to make it 2-1.

 

Busy weekend for Yanks in Italy


Several Americans were on the field in Italy this past weekend – but there were no wins.

Weston McKennie started and played 90 minutes for Juventus in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta. Initially he was playing in a wider position in the right midfield and did well with his service into the box. In the second half, he pressed further up the field with more attacking responsibilities. The game ended 1-1 and McKennie overall played well and a 1-1 away draw in Bergamo is not a bad result.

Venezia’s hopes of staying up in Serie A were boosted on Saturday with a big 2-1 away win over Torino. American Gianluca Busio started for Venezia while Tanner Tessmann was on the bench for Venezia. Venezia’s winning goal was scored in the first minute of the second half for a 2-1 lead. Busio was subbed out in the 55th minute and Tessmann replaced him.

Busio played a defensive midfield position and worked hard defensively, but completed just 5/14 of his passes. Over his 35 minutes, Tessmann completed 6/10 of his passes. All of Venezia struggled in the passing and possession aspects and the entire team had just 37% possession. They managed to earn the win through grit and will-power. It wasn’t pretty and no one played well, but these are the types of wins that are often needed for survival.

In Serie B, Andrija Novakovich started for Frosinone in a 3-0 loss to Peruggia. The performance wasn’t all that bad as Frosinone had two goals called back and remains in the hunt for a promotional playoff spot.

Meanwhile in Serie B, expect former Philadelphia Union homegrown Anthony Fontana to be announced by Ascoli Calcio as a new signing.

 

Belgium: McKenzie and Reynolds start

 

The weekend for Americans in Belgium was a bit muted as Kyle Duncan was still out injured for Oostende in its 3-0 loss to Mechelen and Sam Vines remained as an unused substitute for Royal Antwerp in a 1-0 win over RFC Searing. Chris Durkin was not in the lineup for St. Truiden in its big 1-0 away win over league-leading Union SG.

United States national team defender Mark McKenzie started for Genk on Sunday in a 2-0 win over Standard Liege. The former Philadelphia Union centerback won 6/8 of his ground duels and 3/4 of his aerial duels. With his passing he connected with 5/9 of his long balls and had four clearances in the cleansheet win. Genk moved into eighth place while Standard Liege continued a poor season, sitting in 13th.

Bryan Reynolds started for Kortrijk and played fairly well but his team dropped a terrible 2-1 loss to Beerschot – a team that sits deep in last place. It was Kortrijk’s fourth straight loss. Reynolds had some nice moments with the ball and getting into the attack, but the team has been struggling since his arrival. For the former FC Dallas right back, just playing is a good thing.

 

Tough Weekend for Yanks in Spain

 

The weekend abroad for Americans in Spain wasn’t one to remember.

 Sergino Dest was back into the starting lineup for Barcelona against Espanyol due to the Dani Alves suspension. The game was disappointing for Barcelona which needed a stoppage time equalizer from Luuk de Jong to force a 2-2 draw with their city neighbors.

Dest wasn’t very effective getting forward for most of the game but he took on a different role in the final 15 minutes when he shifted to the left and Xavi shifted to a three-man backline formation. His role was more defensive and he helped to keep Espanyol from finding a goal that would have sealed a win. He also was then able to get the ball into the attack from deep.

Dest didn’t do enough to force minutes once Alves returns but for him this is about taking advantage of whatever opportunity he gets now to enter preseason in a better situation or possibly attracting interest from another Champions League team for the summer window.

Yunus Musah started for Valencia on Saturday away at Deportivo Alaves and had a tough outing in a 2-1 loss to the relegation battling Alaves. Matt Miazga was an unused sub for Alaves. In particular, his foul in the 76th minute conceded a penalty which Alaves converted for the winning goal. It hasn’t been a good season for Musah, so far, as minutes haven’t been regular and when he does see the field, he’s been inconsistent.

In this game, his defense wasn’t great (even aside from conceding the penalty) and he only had 35 touches over 90 minutes playing as an outside midfielder. He does make solid runs and dribbling was effective at times. But he’s not dangerous in connecting with his teammates to elevate the offense of his entire team.

In La Liga, Matthew Hoppe was an unused sub for Mallorca in a 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao. He’s played just 105 minutes this season.

In the Segunda, United States U-20 left back Jonathan Gomez started for Real Sociedad B in a 3-2 loss to Ponferradina. It was a very mixed game for Gomez as he drew a penalty which allowed Sociedad to equalize in the 62nd minute. He also missed a big chance with a left-footed shot from close range and then was partially at fault with his marking on Ponferradina late winner. Overall, his performance showed promise along with a few moments where he needs to be sharper. Ponferradina is in fifth while Real Sociedad B is 10 points deep in the relegation zone – so Sociedad punched above its weight to keep this close.

Also in the Segunda, Shaq Moore played the final 16 minutes for Tenerife in a 2-0 away win over last-place Alcorcon. Tenerife currently sits in third place and are clear contenders for promotion to La Liga.

 

Fulham duo top Yanks in England

 

The most positive story of the weekend for Americans in England was in the Championship where Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson both started and went the distance in a 1-0 win over Hull City to remain six points clear atop the Championship table and coasting towards a promotion to the Premier League.

As has been the case all season, Ream and Robinson were both so solid on the defensive side. Then Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovi? added the only goal of the game with his astonishing 31st league goal of the season. It will be interesting to see how Robinson handles another season in the Premier League. He looks more ready and his career is really on an nice trajectory.

Meanwhile, Ream may return home to play in the USA next year or he might stay with Fulham – likely as a reserve central defender. But his legacy as an elite performer in the Championship is secure.

 

One of the big winners over the weekend for Americans abroad was Ethan Horvath and he didn’t even play for Nottingham Forest. First choice goalkeeper Brice Samba was sent off after conceding and equalizing penalty in a 2-2 draw with Stoke. Forest had already used up their subs when Samba was ejected so Horvath couldn’t enter, but he should be in line for a rare start on Friday against second place Bournemouth.

Duane Holmes has had resurgent season for Huddersfield this year and the team is in the mix for the promotional playoff. Holmes played the final 24 minutes for Huddersfield in Saturday's boring 0-0 draw with Sheffield United. It was not the result that the team needs if it wants to qualify for the playoffs.  

Up in the Premier League, Josh Sargent started but didn’t really do much of anything for Norwich in a 4-0 loss to Manchester City. The result was expected as Manchester City is just much better. What was noteworthy is that Zack Steffen wasn’t even in the matchday squad for City. For Sargent and Norwich, the schedule is still tough and Liverpool is next.

Marlon Fossey has had a great run the past month at Bolton and he scored a nice goal in a 3-2 win over Oxford United. The celebration was even better. Fossey was a gymnast in his younger days.

 

Elsewhere in League One, Lynden Gooch was not in the squad for skidding Sunderland in a 1-1 draw with Wimbledon. Charlie Kelman played the final four minutes for relegation battling Gillingham in a 1-1 away draw with Morecambe

 

Rough spell for Yanks in France

 

Lille defeated Montpellier 1-0 away on Saturday and two Americans made uneventful sub appearances: Tim Weah played the final 11 minutes for Lille and Nicholas Gioacchini played the final nine for Montpellier. Neither made much of an impact.

Erik Palmer-Brown has been excellent the past month since he reclaimed the a starting spot for the Ligue 1 team. Unfortunately, he was on the wrong end of a 5-1 loss to Brest where he went the full 90. No one on Troyes escaped blame in a terrible loss.

Konrad de la Fuente was not in the squad for Marseille in a 2-1 win over last-place Metz.

In Ligue 2, Amir Richardson started for Le Havre in a 4-2 loss at home to Bastia. Le Havre had a quick 2-0 lead but then collapsed. Once Bastia took a 3-2 lead, Richardson was subbed off at the hour mark to try to reverse course. It didn’t work and Le Havre is now four points out of the promotional playoffs. It’s been a great learning experience for Richardson who is a promising defensive midfielder but still needs to continue to play to improve.

 

LDLT strong, Ledezma hurt in Holland

 

The weekend in Holland was highlighted but a strong performance from Luca de la Torre who rebounded from a tough outing last weekend in a loss to Ajax. In a 1-0 win over Utrecht, de la Torre was one of his team’s best midfielders which kept him the pressure on Utrecht. He was 34/38 with his passing and he played with aggression. It was an effective performance in an important win that moves Heracles comfortably to midtable.

In the second tier, Eerste Divisie Richards Ledezma earned the start for Jong PSV but was subbed out in the second half with an injury. Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink reported it was a  groin injury – which is positive in that it was not an injury to his knee. He recently returned from a ACL tear that kept him out nearly a year.

 

Also in the Eredivisie, Cole Bassett was an unused sub for the second straight week for third place Feyenoord in a 2-0 away win over RKC Waalwijk. These are all big games for Feyenoord who are battling for an important spot in Europe (trailing second place PSV by just a point) so it is tough to work Bassett into games. His debut, however, does seem like it is just a matter of time. Any minutes he gets this season is a bonus. The preseason this summer is going to be a big moment for him.

 

Cannon & Mendez start in Portugal

 

Reggie Cannon started for Boavista which played Portimonense to a 1-1 draw on the road. Cannon continues to play on the right side of a three-man backline.  In this game, he had to adust when one of his defensive partners, Jackson Porozo, was sent off in the 77th. Cannon had 64 touches in this one and was 4/7 in his long-ball distribution out of the back. He also had four clearances and two interceptions to preserve the draw.

He is flying under the radar in Portugal but he's learning at Boavista as he plays different roles and is forced to pitch-in in unfamiliar ways to earn results. Boavista sits midtable in 12th.

Meanwhile, Alex Mendez started for Vizela in a 1-0 loss at home to Gil Vicente. Mendez struggled and was replaced at the hour mark. One positive note is that Mendez takes Vizela's corners and set pieces - so that should keep him on the field. Vizela sits comfortably in midtable in 11th place.

 

Elsewhere throughout Europe

 

In Austria’s Bundesliga, Thomas Roberts played the final 26 minutes for Austria Klagenfurt in a 2-2 draw with LASK. He still awaits his first league start, but his sub appearances have been getting longer. Austria Klagenfurt is surprisingly in fourth place after earning promotion last season and the success of the team combined with Roberts being there on loan from Dallas has made it tough to work into the starting lineup. It has been a good learning experience for the young Texan.

In Turkey, it was a an uneventful weekend for the two remaining Americans in the Super Lig. Tyler Boyd was subbed into the game for Rizespor in the 83rd minute against Altay with the score 0-0. He thought he it the winning goal three minutes later but it was ruled offside by VAR and the game ended 0-0 and Rizespor is four points deep in the relegation hole.

Haji Wright was an unused sub for Antalyaspor in a 3-0 win over Fatih Karagumruk.

In the Greek Super League, Caleb Stanko continues to start for PAS Giannina and he went the distance on Monday in a 2-0 win over Aris. That win moved the club past Panathinaikos and into fourth place.

In Hungary's HB 1, Ferencvaros moved back into the top of the table with a 3-1 away win over Zalaegerszeg. Former Seattle Sounder Henry Wingo went the full 90 for Ferencvaros at right back.

In Argentina’s Copa de la Liga Professional, Alan Sonora started and played 56 minutes for Independiente in a 2-1 loss to Estudiantes de la Plata. Independiente is still adjusting after the departure of star No. 10 Alan Velasco to FC Dallas. Alan’s older brother, Joel Sonora (a member of the 2015 U.S. U-20 World Cup team) was an unused substitute for Velez Sarsfield in a 2-0 win over Aldosivi.

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